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Sturgeon  Bay 

AND 

Lake  Michigan  Ship  Canal 

AND 

Harbor  Company. 


J\few  Yoi‘k  Office, 

2  14  BEOA  DWAY. 


+■ 


HENRY  SEIBERT  &  BROS.,  Lithographers, 
Ledger  Building, 


NEW  YORK. 


P  F  F  I  C  E  R  S  : 

President. 

WILLIAM  B.  OGDEN,  New  York. 
Vice-President. 

THOMAS  H.  BEEBE,  Chicago,  III. 

Secretary. 

JOSEPH  HARRIS,  Sturgeon  Bay,  Wis. 

Treasurer. 

WILLIAM  E.  STRONG.  Chicago,  III. 

Chief  Engineer. 

WILLIAM  T.  CASGRAIN,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

P IRECTORS : 

William  B.  Ogden,  New  York. 

Jesse  Spaulding,  of  Spaulding,  Houglitaling  &  Johnson,  Chicago  and 
Menomonee,  Mich. 

Isaac  Stevenson,  of  N.  Luddington  &  Co.,  Chicago,  and  Marinette,  Wis. 
F.  B.  Gardner,  Chicago,  and  Pensaukee,  Wis. 

Thos.  H.  Beebe,  of  Peshtigo  Co.,  Chicago,  and  Peshtigo,  Wis. 

Joseph  Harris,  Sturgeon  Bay,  Wis. 

C  D.  Robinson,  Green  Bay,  Wis. 


Trustee  for  Bondholders. 
M.  L.  SCUDDER,  Jr. 


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AND  ADVANTAGE  S  OF  THE 
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$350,000 

FIRST  MORTGAGE  GOLD  BONDS 


OF  THE 

1  * 

Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Ship 
Canal  and  Harbor  Company. 


SE^EN  FEE  CENT. 


INT  E  EE  ST, 


Payable  Semi-Annually  in  Gold, 


AT  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  COMPANY,  IN  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


Due  February-  1st,  1894. 


Office,  National  Park  Bank  Building,  214  Broadway,  New  York 


WM.  B.  OGDEN,  President. 

M.  L.  SCUDDER,  Jr.,  Trustee. 


HENRY  SEIBERT  &  BROS.,  Printers, 
Ledger  Building, 

NEW  YORK. 


merce 


CORRECTION. 


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THE  CONDITIONS  OF  THE  MORTGAGE. 

By  advice  of  counsel,  the  terms  of  the  mortgage  de¬ 
scribed  in  this  pamphlet,  were  changed  and  amended  before 
execution,  as  follows : 

The  Canal  Company  retain  possession  of  their  property,  and 
manage  it ;  but  all  net  receipts  from  Canal,  and  also  all  re¬ 
ceipts  from  sale  of  lands,  are  to  be  paid  to  the  Trustee,  and 
are  to  be  applied  by  him  to  interest  and  Sinking  Fund, 

Semi-annual  statements  of  accounts  are  to  be  made  by  the 
Canal  Company  to  the  Trustee,  and  in  case  of  non-performance 
of  contract  or  waste,  the  Trustee  is  entitled  to  enter  and  take 
possession  of  the  property. 

Full  power  is  given  to  the  Trustee  to  employ  agents  fre¬ 
quently  to  examine  and  report  on  the  condition  of  the  property. 

The  Trustee  is  also  empowered  to  sell  $30,000  worth  of  the 
lands  annually  for  the  benefit  of  the  Sinking  Fund. 

The  appraisal  of  the  land  for  sale  is  to  be  made  by  the  Canal 
Company,  and  approved  by  the  Trustee,  who  may  appoint  an 
agent  to  examine  and  determine  the  value  of  the  property. 

d  he  Sinking  Fund  is  to  be  drawn  upon  semi-annually  in 
February  and  August,  to  pay  out  standing  bonds  by  lot, 
provided  the  fund  shall  amount  at  such  dates  to  $5,000  or 

more. 

iP 

The  Jponds  are  made  receivable  in  purchases  of  land  or  stand¬ 
ing  timber  at  one  hundred  and  ten  and  interest,  in  currency. 


n 


'  :  I  ■  > 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


M 


https://archive.org/details/sturgeonbaylakemOOstur 


PARTICULAR  ADVANTAGES 


OF  THE 

$350,000  GOLD  BONDS 

OF  THE 


1st.  First  Lien  on  Real  Estate  valued  at  over  $1,000 ,000 . 

2d.  First  Lien  on  a  Canal  through  which  over  800,000 
tons  of  shipping  will  pass  every  year,  at  an  annual 
saving  of  $150,000. 

Sd.  Entire  Income  of  Canal  pledged,  after  paying  run¬ 
ning  expenses,  to  pay  Interest  on  Bonds  and  provide 
a  sinking  fund  for  their  redemption. 

4th.  200,000  acres  of  land  to  be  sold  by  Trustee,  and 
entire  proceeds  of  sale  to  be  applied  to  sinking  fund, 
for  redemption  of  Bonds. 

5th.  The  whole  of  the  security  in  the  hands  of  Trustee  to 
be  managed  solely  for  the  advantage  of  the  Bond¬ 
holders. 

6th.  The  Canal  is  built  in  the  interest  of  CHEAP  TRANS¬ 
PORTATION.  When  the  Bonds  are  paid,  the  Canal 
ivill  become  free,  and  all  the  influence  of  every 
shipper  and  ship-owner  in  the  States  of  Wisconsin 
and  Michigan,  and  in  the  Cities  of  Chicago,  Cleve¬ 
land,  and  Buffalo,  will  be  used  to  urge  the  general 
Government  to  pay  these  Bonds. 

7th.  The  United  States  have  a  right  to  pay  these  Bonds, 
and  make  the  Canal  free. 

8th.  The  United  States  have  spent,  and  are  spending, 
considerable  sums  in  making  a  harbor  of  refuge  at 
the  Lake  Michigan  end  of  the  Canal,  which  cannot 
be  used  except  in  connection  with  the  Canal.  This 


4 


will  be  the  best  harbor  on  the  west  shore  of  Lake 
Michigan,  north  of  Milwaukee —that  is,  for  a  coast 
line  of  two  hundred  miles,  where  it  is  vei ij  much 
needed. 

9th,  The  Principal  of  these  Ponds,  payable  in  Gold,  will 
probably  be  paid  within  a  few  years,  if  not  by  the 
general  Government,  then  by  the  sinking  fund. 
With  the  present  prospect  of  an  advance  in  gold 
this  promises  a  very  profitable  investment. 

10th.  A  portion  of  the  Bonds,  drawn  by  lot,  will  be  paid 
off,  at  par  and  interest,  within  the  next  two  or  three 
years,  and  at  short  intervals  thereafter,  from  the 
sinking  fund.  If  these  Bonds  are  purchased  below 
par,  the  holders  will  realize  a  handsome  profit. 

Util.  The  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  these  Bonds  is  ampl'e 
to  finish  the  Canal  and  provide  for  all  •  contin¬ 
gencies,  and  pay  interest  until  the  Canal  is  com¬ 
pleted.  The  Trustee  receives  all  this  fund  and  ap¬ 
plies  it  for  these  purposes,  until  the  whole  work  is 
completed. 

12th.  More  than  one-quarter  of  work  of  constructing  the 
Canal  has  been  done  and  paid  for,  and  the  Canal 
Company  are  out  of  debt.  The  affairs  of  the  Com¬ 
pany  and  the  work  of  building  the  Canal  are  subject 
to  examination,  and  have  been  frequently  examined 
bifirthe  Gor eminent  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  and 
the  reports  of  such  examinations  are  public  docu¬ 
ments. 

13th.  The  United  States  Government,  the  State  of  Wis¬ 
consin,  and  particularly  the  Canal  Company  itself 
(composed  of  some  of  the  largest  shippers  cn  Lake 
Michigan,  who  have  spent  over  $100 ,000  on  this 
undertaking  themselves),  are  directly  bound  to  see 
that  not  one  dollar  of  this  fund  is  wasted,  but  that 
the  work  is  done  in  the  most  economical  and 
thorough  manner.  And  the  trust  securing  these 
Bonds  has  been  contrived  with  all  these  extraor¬ 
dinary  safeguards  for  bondholders,  that  this  safety 
and  economy  may  be  fully  provided  for. 


THE  STURGEON  BAT 

AND 

LAKE  MICHIGAN  SHIP  CANAL. 


In  the  following  pages  we  shall  refer  only  to  official  sta¬ 
tistics  and  quote  only  official  documents.  By  this  wTe  mean 
statistics  and  documents  certified  to  by  officers  of  the  United 
States  or  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  We  will  not  in  anyway 
discount  the  future  in  these  pages.  AVe  will  not  ask  any 
one  to  assume  that  the  commerce  of  Lake  Michigan  will  in¬ 
crease  in  amount  and  in  value,  nor  that  the  country  around 
Green  Bay  will  ever  become  more  prosperous,  nor  ever  more 
fully  develop  its  latent  resources.  We  will  simply  take  it  for 
granted  that  those  who  are  now  engaged  there  in  cutting  lumber 
and  raising  grain  and  other  produce,  and  mining  and  making 
iron,  and  in  other  profitable  pursuits,  will  continue  at  their  work. 
If  w*e  should  adopt  the  usual  course  and  ask  the  reader  to  com- 
pare  this  year’s  commerce,  with  that  of  last  year,  and  that  of 
last  year  with  that  of  the  year  before,  and  thus  forming  a 
ratio  of  progression,  imagine  the  commerce  of  ten  or  twenty 
years  hence,  we  could  show  very  seductive  figures.  But  we 
prefer  to  take  things  as  they  are,  looking  coldy  into  the  future, 
and  if  the  wraith  of  our  country  goes  on  multiplying  itself, 
'we  shall  be  so  much  the  better  off,  not  having  expected  it. 

The  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Ship  Canal  can  be 


6 


best  seen  upon  the  new  map  of  the  United  States,  published 
by  the  Commissioner  of  the  Land  Department  at  Washington, 
by  authority  of  Congress.  Its  advantages  to  the  commerce 
of  Lake  Michigan  can  be  best  understood  from  the  chart  of 
the  coast  survey,  which  lays  down  the  courses  between  the 
principal  ports  of  the  lake. 

The  Canal  is  a  cut-off  between  the  waters  of  Green  Bav  and 

*/ 

Lake  Michigan,  and  at  the  sameTime  opens  a  harbor  of  refuge. 
Sturgeon  Bay  is  a  long  and  funnel-shaped  indentation,  running 
from  Green  Bay  into  the  peninsula  lying  between  that  body  of 
water  and  the  Lake.  The  shores  of  Sturgeon  Bay  are  high 
and  well  wooded,  its  water  deep  and  well  protected.  If  it 
opened  south  from  the  lake  it  would  furnish  tlfe  largest  and 
safest  and  most  convenient  harbor  on  the  whole  chain  of  the 
lakes.  The  object  of  the  Sturgeon  Bay  Canal  is  to  open  it  to 
the  South  by  cutting  a  channel  one  and  one-quarter  miles 
long,  and  in  addition  to  making  Sturgeon  Bay  a  harbor  of  re¬ 
fuge,  make  it  a  safe  channel  for  vessels  which  now  go  a  long 
way  round  and  run  through  dangerous  waters. 

A  company  was  organized  to  do  this  work  in  1856.  But 
it  accomplished  nothing  and  its  charter  expired.  The  present 
company  was  chartered  in  1861,  and  began  work  in  1872.  In 
1866  Congress  granted  200,000  acres  of  land  to  aid  in  the  con¬ 
struction  of  the  canal,  and  in'1866-1867  the  route  of  the  canal 
was  surveyed.  In  1871  Congress  ordered  a  more  thorough 
survey.  This  survey  was  made  and  was  very  careful  and  com¬ 
plete,  and  since  that  time  the  company  have  been  prosecuting 
the  work,  using  their  own  means.  In  this  way  they  have  com¬ 
pleted  more  than  one-quarter  of  the  work,  have  spent  over 
$100,000  in  doing  so,  and  have  demonstrated  the  easy  accom¬ 
plishment  of  the  whole  work  at  a  moderate  cost.  They  have  let 
to  responsible  parties,  having  ample  security,  the  contract  for 
completing  the  canal,  at  a  price  considerably  less  than  the 
amount  of  the  bonded  debt.  The  balance  of  the  proceeds  of 
these  bonds,  will  provide  for  all  contingencies,  and  pay  the  in¬ 
terest  on  the  principal  until  the  canal  begins  to  earn  income. 
Full  particulars  of  the  contract  and  the  work  to  be  done  will 


7 


be  shown  to  any  one  inquiring,  at  the  office  of  the  Canal  Com¬ 
pany  in  New  York  City. 

THE  CONDITIONS  UNDER  WHICH  THE  BONDS  ARE  SECURED. 

The  common  manner  of  securing  a  mortgage  debt  is  by 
deed  of  trust,  providing  that  only  upon  default  of  interest, 
the  creditors  or  their  representatives  shall  have  control  of  the 
property  and  manage  its  income.  In  other  cases,  as  long  as 
the  interest  and  other  dues  are  paid,  all  other  income  is  under 
the  control  of  the  mortgagor.  But,  in  this  case,  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  the  peculiar  relations  between  the  Canal  Company 
and  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  and  also  on  account  of  the  inten¬ 
tion  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Canal  Company  (who  are  also 
shippers  and  desire  a  free  canal)  to  apply  all  revenue  to  paying 
off  the  debt  as  soon  as  possible,  the  trustee  representing  the 
#  bondholders  takes  possession  at  once  of  the  canal  and  the  lands 
of  the  Canal  Company  and  applies jevery  cent  of  income  and  of 
proceeds  of  sales  of  lands,  after  paying  actual  expenses,  to 
the  sinking  fund.  In  other  words,  the  Canal  Company  trans¬ 
fer  their  property  to  the  bondholders  saying,  substantially, 
pay  yourselves  out  of  the  property  and  give  us  what  is  left. 

How  perfect  a  security  this  gives  the  bondholders,  can  be 
best  understood,  when  it  is  considered,  that  over  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  is  already  invested  in  this  work,  by  shrewd 
and  careful  men,  who  are  willing  to  wait,  not  only  for  the 
principal,  but  also  for  interest  of  their  investment,  until  the 
bonds  are  paid  in  full.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that 
these  stockholders  expect  the  lands  which  are  left  after  the 
debt  is  paid,  and  the  canal  is  made  free,  to  pay  them  for 
waiting. 

No  mortgage  so  perfect  for  the  full  protection  of  bond¬ 
holders,  so  far  as  we  know,  has  ever  been  devised. 

THE  SINKING  FUND. 

It  is  made  the  duty  of  the  Trustee  to  invest  all  moneys 
coming  into  his  hands,  after  paying  expenses  and  interest,  in 


8 


gold  bonds  of  the  United  States,  and  whenever  these  accumu¬ 
late  to  the  amount  in  value  of  $25,000  or  more  in  gold,  to  draw 
by  lot,  bonds  for  payment,  and  to  advertise  and  pay  the  bonds 
so  drawn  at  par  and  interest. 

INCOME  OF  CANAL— CALCULATED  FROM  OFFICIAL  STATISTICS. 

The  following  figures,  taken  from  Custom-houses,  show  the 
actual  departures  and  arrivals  for  1872,  at  the  prominent  ports 
of  Lake  Michigan,  of  vessels  sailing  on  courses  which  could  be 
shortened  at  least  150  miles  on  each  round  trip,  by  passing 
through  the  Sturgeon  Bay  Canal : 


Departures  to  Menominee  and  ports  on  Green  Bay  south  of 
Menominee : 


Ports. 

No. 

Total. 

Tonnage. 

Total. 

Chicago. 

Sailing  Vessels.  .  . 

794 

194,753 

Barges . 

167 

69,598 

Steamers . 

181 

1,142 

67,677 

332,028 

Kenosha . 

2 

169 

Bacine . 

23 

4,920 

48,783 

Milwaukee . 

152 

Manitowoc . 

12 

1,541 

Sheboygan . 

2 

191 

180 

55,593 

1,333 

387,621 

9 


Arrivals  from  Menominee  and  ports  south  of  Menominee 
on  G  reen  Bay  : 


Ports. 

No. 

Total. 

Tonnage. 

Total. 

Chicago  : 

' 

Sailing  Vessels  .. 

949 

210,686 

Barges . 

217 

87,172 

Steamers . 

169 

1,335 

59,974 

357,832 

Sheboygan . 

3 

35 

Manitowoc . 

7 

928 

Milwaukee . 

137 

39,504 

Bacine . 

25 

4,966 

Kenosha . 

3 

175 

330 

45,763 

Total  arrivals . 

1,510 

403,595 

Total  departures . 

1,333 

387,621 

2,843 

791,216 

The  number  of  vessels  passing  between  these  ports  is  in¬ 
creasing  each  year ;  but,  figuring  on  these  alone,  the  income 
of  the  canal  will  be  ample  for  all  its  expenses  and  the  interest 
on  its  bonds.  Each  of  these  vessels  will  save  about  one  day  in 
time  by  using  the  canal,  to  say  nothing  of  avoiding  the  dan¬ 
gerous  passage  of  Death’s  Door.  The  expenses  of  any  average 
vessel  are  more  than  $50  per  day.  If  an  average  charge  of 
$20  per  vessel  is  made  for  use  of  the  canal,  this  will  give  a 
gross  annuaHncome  of  $56,860  to  the  canal,  and  cause  a  sav¬ 
ing  of  at  least  $85,290  per  annum  to  the  vessels  running 
between  the  ports  above  named. 

The  revenue  of  the  canal  will  not  be  limited  to  tolls  on 
these  vessels,  however.  Many  vessels  sailing  on  other  courses 
can  use  it  to  advantage,  on  account  of  the  greater  danger  of 

J  o  o 

passing  through  Death’s  Door.  This  dangerous  passage  is 
annually  the  cause  of  several  wrecks.  In  1871,  thirteen  ves- 


10 


sels  with  their  cargoes,  consisting  of  grain,  lumber  and  coal, 
were  lost  there,  the  estimated  value  of  which  amounted  to 
nearly  $250,000.  And  even  if  there  were  no  saving  in  time, 
many  vessels  sailing  from  ports  in  Green  Bay  to  other  ports 
than  those  named  above  would  prefer  to  pay  the  tolls  of  the 
canal  rather  than  risk  the  dangerous  passage  into  Lake  Michi¬ 
gan.  To  estimate  how  large  an  amount  this  shipping  is,  we 
take  the  record  kept  by  the  keeper  of  the  Green  Island  Light¬ 
house  (off  the  entrance  to  Sturgeon  Bay)  of  the  number  of  ves¬ 
sels  which  passed  liis  light  during  the  seasons  of  1868,  ’69  and 
'70,  as  reported  by  him  to  the  Light-house  Board  at  Washing¬ 
ton.  Ilis  books  show  that  the  yearly  average  of  these  three 
years  was  7,350  vessels.  Estimating  according  to  the  average 
tonnage  of  lake  vessels  (250  tons),  this  shows  a  gross  ton¬ 
nage  of  1,837,500  tons.  If  the  tolls  of  the  canal  were  fixed 
at  the  low  charge  of  three  cents  per  ton,  this  would  produce  a 
revenue  of  $55,125,  The  shipping  of  Green  Bay  has  increased 
materially  since  1870,  and  is  growing  in  amount  and  value 
yearly.  It  is  safe  to  predict  an  annual  income  of  $60,000. 

This  income  of  $60,000  per  year  will  be  ample  to  pay  ex¬ 
penses,  including  cost  of  towing,  and  interest  on  bonds,  and 
cany  $20,000  to  sinking  fund.  The  account  will  stand  as 
follows : 

Income,  say .  $60,000 

Expenses  of  tug .  $3,000 

Fuel,  oil,  etc .  3,000 

Superintendent,  clerk  and  watchman.  3,000 

Repairs,  etc .  1,000 

- $10,000 

Interest,  7  per  cent.,  on  $350,000 . $24,500 

Premium  on  gold,  15  per  cent .  3,675 

- - 28,175 

- - —  38,175 

For  sinking  fund  from  tolls  of  canal . $21,825 

From  this  source  alone,  if  the  revenue  does  not  increase? 
the  debt  of  $350,000  would  be  extinguished  in  thirteen  years. 


11 


But  when  we  consider  that  [in  addition  to  this  amonnt  the 
sinking  fund  will  receive  all  the  proceeds  from  sales  of  the 
two  hundred  thousand  acres  of  valuable  lands,  it  is  safe  to 
predict  that  the  whole  debt  will  be  extinguished  within  ten 
years,  or  even  a  less  time. 

This  calculation  is  designed  to  show  that  the  net  income 
of  the  canal  can,  under  any  circumstances,  pay  the  obligations 
of  the  mortgage.  It  is  not  designed  to  force  the  revenue  be- 
yond  this  point.  The  canal  is  built  in  the  interest  of  the 
commerce  of  Green  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan,  and  not  for  the 
benefit  of  stockholders.  It  is  provided  by  law  that  after  re¬ 
paying  its  cost  it  becomes  free,  and  those  having  charge  of  it 
are  obliged  by  the  provisions  of  the  acts  relating  to  it  to 
operate  it  for  the  public  good,  and  not  for  private  profit. 
Therefore,  as  commerce  increases,  pro  rata ,  charges  will  be 
diminished.  The  object  of  the  managers  will  be  to  reduce  and 
keep  the  net  income  as  near  as  possible  to  $43,500  gold,  or  its 
equivalent  in  currency.  A  sum  sufficient  for  interest  and 
sinking  fund. 

The  following  table  shows  the  effect  of  such  an  income 
in  paying  off  the  debt. 

Calculation  of  effect  of  sinking  fund  in  paying  debt  of 
$350,000  gold  on  supposition  that  income  of  canal  is  $60,000 
at  present  value  of  currency  (87  per  cent,  of  gold),  and  ex¬ 
penses  of  operating  of  canal  are  $10,000  currency — leaving 
net  income  for  interest  and  sinking  fund  $50,000  currency,  or 
$13,500  gold  : 


1st  vear 

Interest . 

INCOME. 

.  $  43,500 

.  24,500 

PRINCIPAL. 

$  350,000 
19,000 

2d  year . 

Interest . . 

.  43,500 

.  23,170 

331,000 

20,330 

3d  year . 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

.  21,747 

310,670 

21,753 

4th  vear . 
«/ 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

.  20,224 

288,917 

23,276 

# 


12 


5  th  year . 

Interest . 

INCOME. 

.  $  43,500 

.  18,594 

PRINCIPAL. 

$  265,641 
24,905 

6th  year . 

.  43,500 

240,736 

26,649 

Interest . 

.  16,851 

7 th  year . 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

.  14^986 

214,087 

28,514 

8th  year . 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

.  12,990 

185,573 

30,510 

9  th  year . 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

. .  10,854 

155,063 

32,646 

10  th  year . 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

.  8,569 

122,417 

34,931 

lltli  year . . 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

.  6,121 

87,486 

37,876 

1 2th  year . 

Interest . 

.  43,500 

.  3,508 

50,110 

39,992 

13th  year . 

Intei^est . 

.  43,500 

.  708 

10,118 

708 

42,792  10,826 

10,826 


Balance  over  after  paying  debt . 31,966 

THE  RIGHT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  TO  PAY  THE  DEBT  AND 

MAKE  THE  CANAL  FREE. 

By  the  act  of  Congress  granting  the  200,000  acres  of  land 
to  aid  in  building  the  Sturgeon  Bav  Canal,  the  fight  was  re- 
served  to  the  United  States  to  pay  at  any  time  the  liabilities  of 
the  canal,  and  thereafter  the  owners  of  the  canal  would  be 
restricted  to  charging  only  such  tolls  as  would  be  sufficient  to 
pay  the  actual  expenses  of  operating  it.  The  canal  is  a  neces¬ 
sary  part  of  the  Harbor  of  Refuge  which  the  government  have 
partly  built,  and  are  eacli  year  appropriating  funds  to  carry  on 
to  completion.  It  is  easy  to  see,  therefore,  that  all  interested 
in  cheap  transportation,  as  well  as  in  the  safety  of  the  com- 


13 


merce  of  the  lakes,  will  desire  the  government,  as  soon  as 
possible,  to  pay  off  the  debt  and  make  the  canal  practically 
free. 

THE  HARBOR  OF  REFUGE. 

In  order  to  make  the  canal  perfect  as  a  harbor  of  refuge 
the  Government  have  made  cash  appropriations  for  the  past 
two  years,  and  have  built  substantial  piers,  running  seven 
hundred  and  sixty-two  feet  into  the  lake  on  each  side  of  the 
Lake  Michigan  end  of  the  canal.  The  full  report  of  the  United 
States  engineers  surveying  and  in  charge  of  this  work  will  be 
found  at  the  end  of  this  pamphlet.  When  completed  according 
to  the  plans  of  the  United  States  engineers,  which  it  will  be 
seen  do  not  involve  great  additional  expense,1 "and  by  the  open¬ 
ing  of  the  Sturgeon  Bay  Canal,  it  will  furnish  the  only  perfect¬ 
ly  safe  harbor  on  the  west  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  north  of 
Milwaukee,  that  is  for  a  coast  line  of  nearly  two  hundred  miles, 
where  a  refuge  is  very  much  needed.  This  harbor  will  be 
perfectly  land-locked,  and  deep  enough  and  large  enough, 
including  Sturgeon  Bay,  to  float  all  the  vessels  on  the  lake. 

THE  VALUE  OF  THE  200,000  ACRES  OF  LAND. 

This  land  was  granted  by  Congress  in  1866,  and  was  lo¬ 
cated  by  the  terms  of  the  grant.  The  company  have  from 
time  to  time  made  examinations  of  it.  They  have  spent  over 
$10,000  in  this  examination  and  have  reports  of  the  character 
and  quality  of  129,626.87  acres,  leaving  70,373.13  acres  un¬ 
examined.  This  unexamined  land  lies  on  the  head-waters  of 
the  small  streams  that  empty  into  the  Peshtigo  and  Meno¬ 
monee  rivers,  and  is  said  to  be  mainly  pine  and  hard-wood  land, 
with  indications  of  iron  ore  on  some  sections.  The  projected 
extension  of  the  Milwaukee  and  Northern  Railroad  will  pass 
through  this  region.  The  examination  of  this  land  will  be 
prosecuted  as  it  may  be  found  necessary  or  advisable. 

Of  the  examined  land  57,775.70  acres  are  reported  to  be  good 
pine  land,  on  streams  readily  accessible  to  lumbermen.  Land  of 
this  character  in  this  region  is  now  selling  at  from  $10  to  $20 


14 


* 


per  acre,  and  some  sales  are  reported  at  higher  prices.  In  one 
notable  instance,  $50,000  was  paid  for  640  acres.  This  high 
priced  land  was  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  some  parts  of  this 
grant,  on  the  head- waters  of  the  Wolf  river.  It  will  be  seen  that 
the  price  per  acre  was,  in  this  instance,  over  $78. 

Of  the  remaining  examined  lands,  3,341.95  acres  are 
lands  burned  over  by  the  great  fires  of  1871,  17,172.63  acres 
are  well  situated  hard- wood  and  farming  land  and  51,336.59 
acres  are  of  inferior  value,  being  marsh,  tamarack  and  cedar 
swamps,  pine  lands  from  which  pine  has  been  cut,  and  hard¬ 
wood  and  farming  land  of  inferior  quality.  A  considerable  por¬ 
tion  of  the  lands  last  named  and  the  burned  lands  are  near  to 
the  track  of  the  Northwestern  Railroad,  and  are  in  demand 
for  various  purposes  at  low  prices,  say  $2  per  acre.  The  hard¬ 
wood  and  farming  land  (17,000  acres)  are  of  the  best  quality. 
The  company  have  on  file  applications  from  persons  desiring 
to  purchase  the  larger  part  of  the  land  of  this  class.  The 
price  will  not  be  less  than  $5  per  acre,  and  for  much  of  them 
$10  per  acre  can  be  readily  obtained. 

Taking  the  various  circumstances  into  account,  the  direc¬ 
tors  of  the  Canal  Company,  who  have  had  long  experience  in, 
and  extensive  knowledge  of,  this  country,  think  that  they  are 
justified  in  saying  to  bondholders,  that  the  entire  grant  is  worth 
more  than  $1,000,000,  and  that  it  can  be  sold  within  a  few 
vears  to  realize  more  than  this  sum. 

c / 

At  all  events  the  bondholders  can  he  satisfied  that  the 
stockholders  of  the  Canal  Company  believe  the  lands  to  be  val¬ 
uable  to  a  considerable  amount  above  the  mortgage  debt,  be¬ 
cause  all  return  which  they  can  expect  from  their  investment 
already  made  must  come  out  of  the  lands  after  the  mortgage  is 
paid. 

The  Canal  Company  are  required  by  the  spirit  of  the 
law  granting  the  lands,  to  offer  them  for  sale  at  reasonable 
prices ;  but  it  is  not  their  duty  or  their  policy  to  force  these 
sales  too  rapidly.  The  land,  as  fast  as  is  deemed  advanta¬ 
geous,  will  be  offered  for  sale  at  prices  fixed  by  a  fair  apprais¬ 
al.  This  appraisal  will  be  made  by  one  appraiser  selected  by 


15 


the  trustee  and  one  selected  by  the  Canal  Company,  and  in  case 
these  two  do  not  agree,  the  trustee  will  decide.  When  the 
land  is  sold  the  trustee  will  give  the  deed,  and  apply  the  pro¬ 
ceeds  of  the  sale  as  provided  in  the  trust-deed  to  extinguishing 
the  debt. 

The  Company  possesses  one  advantage  in  holding  the  land. 
By  special  law  the  lands  are  free  from  taxes  of  all  kinds  for 
ten  years  while  held  by  the  Company. 

THE  CANAL. 

The  canal  is  to  be  one  hundred  feet  wide  and  thirteen  feet 
deep  below  low  water  mark,  which  will  accommodate  the  larg¬ 
est  vessels  on  the  lakes.  This  work  of  building  the  canal  is  es¬ 
timated  to  be  removing  one  million  cubic  yards  of  sand. 
(For  estimates  of  engineers,  see  reports  at  end  of  this  vol¬ 
ume.)  Twro  hundred  and  sixty-two  thousand  cubic  yards 
have  been  removed.  The  remainder  of  the  work  has  been  let 
to  Messrs  ().  B.  Green  and  Fox  &  Howard,  of  Chicago,  contrac¬ 
tors,  whom  the  directors  of  the  Canal  Company  believe  to  be 
thoroughly  responsible  and  abundantly  able  to  finish  their  con¬ 
tract  within  the  time  set — that  is,  during  the  next  two  seasons. 
The  Canal  will  be  ready  for  use  at  the  beginning  of  the  season 
of  1876. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  reports  at  the  end  of  this  pamphlet 
that  the  earlier  surveys  and  estimates  of  cost  of  the  canal  sug¬ 
gested  a  pile  revetment  the  entire  length  of  the  canal ;  but  the 
work  which  has  been  done  on  the  canal  shows  that  any  such 
revetment  will  not  be  necessary,  the  banks  being  firm  and  not 
sliding.  The  Company  have  made  arrangements,  however,  in 
their  calculations  to  cover  contingencies,  and  should  a  revet¬ 
ment  be  found  necessary  on  parts  of  the  work  to  keep  the 
banks  from  sliding  in  and  filling  the  canal,  they  will  have  funds 
enough  to  build  it. 


OF-PICI^L 

REPORTS  AND  SURVEYS 


iturgeon 


an  and 


an  n 


anal  and  jharbor. 


1.874. 


REPORT  OF  A  SURVEY  FOR  A  SHIP-CANAL  FROM  HEAD  OF 

STURGEON  BAY,  WISCONSIN. 


United  States  Engineer’s  Office, 

Chicago,  November  29,  1871. 

General  :  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  report, 
by  Assistant  William  T.  Casgrain  of  a  survey  “  for  a  ship 
canal  from  the  head  of  Sturgeon  Bay,  Wisconsin,  on  the  line 
now  opened  across  the  portage  through  the  timber  to  the  shore 
of  Lake  Michigan,  with  estimates  for  constructing  the  same 
100  feet  wide  and  13  feet  deep,”  called  for  by  the  act  of  Con¬ 
gress  dated  March  3,  1871. 

A  very  careful  and  thorough  survey  of  this  route  was  made 
by  Mr.  Casgrain,  and  the  report  and  map  were  nearly  com¬ 
plete,  but  these  were  destroyed  by  the  Chicago  tire  of  October 
9  and  10,  1871.  Sufficient  memoranda,  however,  were  pre¬ 
served  to  enable  us,  by  the  aid  of  the  lake  survey  charts  and 
memory,  to  give  the  result  of  the  survey  for  all  practical  pur¬ 
poses. 

The  borings  which  were  taken,  show  no  material  but  what 
can  be  removed  by  dredges.  The  highest  point  on  the  first 
of  the  two  routes  examined  is  32  feet,  on  the  second  284  feet, 
above  the  lake. 

The  proposed  canal,  for  which  estimates  are  submitted,  is 
100  feet  wide  at  bottom  and  13  feet  deep.  The  slope  of  the 
excavation  above  water  is  two  base  to  one  perpendicular. 

The  sum  of  $114,000  is  estimated  for  reveting  the  banks  of 
the  canal,  which,  owing  to  the  character  of  the  material,  is 
necessary  to  complete  the  work,  but  may  not  be  required  to 
the  extent  of  the  estimate,  nor  until  after  the  canal  has  become 
navigable. 

At  the  lake  terminus  of  the  canal,  are  two  piers,  extending 


4 


out  to  a  depth  of  18  feet  of  water,  which  are  necessary  to  pro¬ 
tect  the  channel  excavated  in  the  lake.  The  object  of  giving 
the  piers  the  oblique  position  indicated  is  that  a  width  of  not 
less  than  200  feet  between  the  ends  of  the  piers  is  necessary 
for  the  easy  passage  of  vessels,  and  if  the  piers  were  placed 
parallel  to  the  angle  of  the  canal,  which  is  only  100  feet  wide, 
a  heavy  sea  would  be  created  at  the  mouth  ;  but  by  giving 
them  the  position  indicated,  the  sea  will  have  an  opportunity 
to  spread  out,  so  that  by  the  time  it  reaches  the  mouth  of  the 
canal  it  will  have  lost  much  of  its  force.  ‘The  price  estimated 
for  dredging  is  high,  but  will,  it  is  thought,  cover  all  contin. 
gencies. 

Observations  were  taken  to  determine  the  difference  of  level 
between  the  lake  and  Sturgeon  Bay,  which  was  found  to  vary 
according  to  the  force  and  direction  of  the  wind.  Strong 
southerly  winds  caused  a  rise  in  the  lake  and  a  fall  in  the  bay. 
On  one  occasion,  about  July  10,  the  water  in  the  bay  fell  3 
feet  below  the  lake  level,  and  so  remained  for  about  half  an 
hour.  A  similar  phenomenon  was  observed  about  this  date  at 
Green  Bay,  and  at  Du  Lutli,  Minnesota.  Such  a  variation, 
however,  rarely  occurs,  and  it  is  seldom  more  than  6  inches 
either  way.  It  is  possible  that  at  times  the  current  through 
the  canal  may  be  so  great  as  to  interfere  somewhat  with  its 
navigation,  but  not,  it  is  thought,  to  an  extent  rendering  guard- 
gates  necessary. 

The  three  general  items  of  the  estimate  are : 

For  excavation  from  deep  water  at  Sturgeon  Bay  to 


lake . $369,300 

For  piers  to  protect  channel  in  lake .  116,000 

For  revetment  of  banks  of  canal .  144,000 


Total . $629,300 


Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  C.  HOUSTON, 
Major  of  Engineers. 
Brigadier-General  A.  A.  Humphreys. 

Chief  of  Engineers,  Washington ,  D.  C. 


0 


United  States  Engineer’s  Office,  ) 
Chicago,  November  21,  1871.  j 

Major  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  and 
estimates  relating  to  the  survey  of  the  Sturgeon  Bay  Ship 
Canal,  which  survey  was  made  in  obedience  to  your  orders  of 
June  18,  1871. 

Owing  to  the  disastrous  conflagrations  which  visited  the 
city  on  the  9th  of  October,  when  the  greater  portion  of  the 
field  notes  of  the  survey  were  destroyed,  the  map  accompany¬ 
ing  this  report  is  not  as  complete  as  it  should  be. 

The  soundings  in  Lake  Michigan  have  been  compiled  from 
the  notes  of  the  United  States  lake  survey,  taken  in  the  sum¬ 
mer  of  1867,  and  reductions  made  for  the  comparative  stage 
of  water  between  that  period  and  last  summer. 

The  profiles  and  cross  section  levels  were  destroyed,  and  I 
am  unable  to  furnish  them  at  the  present  time.*  1  obtained 
from  the  notes  of  the  lake  survey  the  profile  of  the  Portage 
road,  which  I  have  shown  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the  eleva¬ 
tion  above  the  water  surface  of  Lake  Michigan.  Fortunately, 
I  saved  the  greater  part  of  the  estimates  submitted  in  my  first 
report,  and  I  am  thus  able  to  furnish  a  reliable  statement. 

The  act  of  Congress  authorizing  a  survey  to  be  made  at 
that  point  reads  as  follows,  viz:  “  For  a  ship  canal  from  the 
head  of  Sturgeon  Bay,  Wisconsin,  on  the  line  now  opened 
across  the  Portage  through  the  timber  to  the  shores  of  Lake 
Michigan,  with  estimates  for  constructing  the  same,  100  feet 
wide  and  13  feet  deep.” 

In  compliance  with  this  law,  a  thorough  survey  of  the  line 
above  described  was  made.  But  upon  a  careful  examination 
of  the  country  south  of  this  line,  I  became  satisfied  that  a 
shorter  and  more  direct  route  could  be  found,  which  would  re¬ 
duce  the  cost  of*  construction.  Accordingly  I  made  a  com¬ 
plete  topographical  survey  of  that  part  of  the  Portage  south  of 

*  Since  this  report  was  made,  complete  surveys  have  been  made  furnish¬ 
ing  profiles  and  cross-sections,  and  every  note  destroyed  by  the  fire  has  been 
restored  from  examinations. 


6 


the  old  line,  and  from  the  data  obtained,  located  a  line  which 
proves  to  be  some  250  feet  shorter  and  an  average  of  2.1  feet 
less  cutting  than  on  the  old  route.  The  advantages  of  this 
route  over  the  old  one  will  be  better  understood  by  referring 
to  the  map. 

There  will  be  two  angles  in  the  canal  on  the  proposed  old 
route,  whereas  on  the  new  line  we  shall  have  a  straight  channel 
through  the  Portage,  on  the  prolongation  of  the  centre  of  the 
head  of  Sturgeon  Bay.  This  will  be  particularly  advantageous 
to  vessels  making  the  passage,  as  it  will  afford  them  better  fa¬ 
cility  to  see  and  pass  each  other  in  the  canal. 

Careful  borings  were  made  on  both  routes  at  every  500  feet, 
and  samples,  taken  at  different  depths,  showing  the  character 
of  the  soil,  was  preserved.  The  samples  were  lost  in  the  con¬ 
flagration.  However,  i  have  obtained  from  Mr.  W.  L.  Baby, 
the  foreman  of  the  boring  party,  some  of  the  notes  taken  from 
hiS  private  diary,  which  enables  me  to  give  a  general  idea  of 
the  character  of  the  soil  at  each  boring  station,  as  is  shown  on 
the  profile.  Each  boring  was  made  from  ten  to  twenty  feet 
deeper  than  the  proposed  line  of  the  canal,  so  as  to  obtain  the 
nature  of  the  soil  for  the  pile  revetment.  There  were  reports 
that  the  bottom  of  Lake  Michigan,  at  the  Portage,  was  under¬ 
laid  with  a  bed  of  limestone  ;  careful  borings  were  made,  which 
show  the  existence  of  loose  stone  and  boulders,  but  no  rock. 

STURGEON  BAY  AND  VILLAGE. 

About  half  way  from  the  head  of  Green  Ba}^  to  its  junction 
•with  Lake  Michigan,  through  “  Porte  des  Mortes,”  or  “Death’s 
Door,”  is  Sturgeon  Bay,  running  in  a  southeasterly  direction. 
It  is  about  eight  miles  in  length  by  two  in  breadth  at  its  mouth, 
gradually  narrowing  to  about  one-quarter  of  a  mile  at  its  head. 
Its  waters  are  clear,  and  deep  enough  to  float  the  largest  of 
our  lake  crafts.  Its  shores  are  occasionally  dotted  with  cot¬ 
tages  and  farms,  while  the  rest  are  thickly  wooded  with  a  va¬ 
riety  of  timber.  The  land  is  undulating,  and  gently  sloping 
down  to  the  water’s  edge.  The  only  marsh  and  low  lands  are 
found  at  the  head  of  the  bay. 


7 


Oil  the  north  side  of  the  bay,  and  about  five  miles  from  its 
mouth,  on  a  small  promontory,  having  an  elevation  of  forty  or 
fifty  feet  above  water,  is  situated  the  village  of  Sturgeon  Bay. 
Its  population  is  about:  five  hundred  inhabitants.  It  has  two 
churches,  three  steam  saw-mills,  three  hotels,  two  stores,  and  a 
post-office. 

The  manufacturing  interests  have  not  been  developed  as 
rapidly  at  this  point  as  on  the  west  shores  of  Green  Bay,  for 
the  reason  that  on  the  peninsula  the  pine  timber  is  found  only 
in  limited  quantities,  and  we  are  confined  to  a  narrow  belt  of 
land  ;  but  no  part  of  Green  Bay  presents  as  great  facilities  for 
iron-furnaces  and  tanneries  ;  the  hard-wood  timber,  for  char¬ 
coal,  and  the  limestone,  for  flux,  are  found  in  inexhaustible 
quantities,  as  well  as  abundance  of  hemlock  to  supply  the  bark 
for  the  tanneries. 

ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  CANAL. 

1.  These  will  consist  in  avoiding  the  present  dangerous 
channels  through  “  Porte  des  Morts,”  or  “  Death’s  Door,” 
where  many  valuable  vessels  and  their  cargoes  are  lost.  We 
find  at  the  entrance  to  Green  Bay  by  Porte  des  Morts  several 
reefs  and  shoals,  obstructing  the  safe  navigation  of  this  chan¬ 
nel,  such  as  the  detached  reefs  between  Pilot  Island  and  the 
main  shore,  and  the  reefs  southeast  of  Gravel  Island,  as  also 
the  Whale’s  Back,  nearly  abreast  of  the  Door.  In  the  pas¬ 
sage  north  of  Pock  Island  we  find  two  detached  reefs  in  a 
southeasterly  direction,  and  between  it  and  St.  Martin’s  Island, 
though  the  passage  is  much  wider,  two  small  shoals  are  found 
nearly  in  the  center  of  it. 

There  is  a  strong  current  through  Death’s  Door,  setting  in 
or  out  according  to  the  direction  of  the  wind,  and  manv  valu~ 
able  vessels  have  been  lost  in  consequence  thereof.  The  coast 

is  rock-bound,  and  it  is  almost  certain  destruction  to  the  craft 

'  * 

going  ashore. 

2.  The  immense  quantity  of  freight  shipped  from  all 
points  along  Green  Bay  is  carried  by  a  fleet  of  over  two  hun¬ 
dred  vessels,  which  would  make  a  total  of  at  least  six  thou- 


s 


sand  passages  annually  to  Chicago  and  other  ports  on  Lake 
Michigan. 

3.  To  convey  some  idea  of  the  large  fleet  of  vessels  engaged 
in  the  Green  Bay  trade,  1  have  kindly  been  furnished  by  Mr. 
S.  P.  Drew,  light-house  keeper  at  Green  Island,  with  a  record  of 
the  number  of  vessels  which  passed  the  light-house  during  the 
following  years,  viz.:  in  1868,  7,338  ;  in  1869,  7,347 ;  in  1870, 
7,369. 

4.  The  distance  from  Chicago  to  Green  Bay,  Big  and  Little 
Suamico,  Pensaukee,  Oconto,  Peshtigo,  and  Menomonee,  will 
be  shortened  on  each  round  trip  one  hundred  and  flfty  miles, 
or  about  one-sixth  of  the  entire  distance. 

5.  For  Escanaba,  where  nearly  three-fourths  of  the  Lake 
Superior  iron-ore  is  shipped  the  Canal  wdll  be  especially  use¬ 
ful.  At  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  in  the  spring  and  fall, 
when  the  weather  is  too  stormy  on  Lake  Michigan,  sailing 
vessels  could  avail  themselves  of  the  Green  Bay  route,  which 
is  comparatively  well  sheltered,  and  make  the  run  to  Sturgeon 
Bay,  where  they  could  wait  for  fair  weather  to  resume  their 
journey. 

6.  In  addition  to  the  above  advantages,  we  must  also  con¬ 
sider  the  rapid  growth  and  developments  of  the  resources  of 
the  country  in  and  around  Green  Bay. 

The  late  discoveries  of  iron  ore  along  the  Menomonee  river 
and  vicinity  will  soon  give  an  additional  impetus  to  the  com¬ 
merce  of  Green  Bay. 

7.  The  improvement  of  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers, 
which,  when  completed,  will  make  the  connecting  link  between 
the  Mississippi  and  the  lakes,  and  furnish  additional  facilities 
for  shipping  the  produce  of  Northern  Wisconsin  and  that  of 
the  grain-growing  States  on  and  beyond  the  Mississippi.  We 
cannot  safely  predict  what  the  increase  may  amount  to  in  the 
next  ten  years,  but  that  the  commerce  will  grow,  and  rapidly, 
there  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind. 

During  the  summer,  and  while  prosecuting  the  survey,  the 
lion.  Joseph  Harris,  of  Sturgeon  Bay,  through  circulars  sent 
to  all  the  manufacturers  in  Green  Bay  and  vicinity,  collected 


9 


the  following  statistics  of  the  trade  and  commerce  of  Green 
Ba}7  for  the  year  1870  : 


Lumber,  manufactured,  feet .  500,000,000 

Shingles,  manufactured,  feet .  900,000,000 

Lath,  manufactured,  pieces .  840,000,000 

Pickets,  manufactured,  pieces .  35,000,000 

.Railroad  ties,  manufactured,  feet .  2,500,000 

Cedar  posts,  manufactured,  pieces .  1,600,000 

Staves,  manufactured,  pieces .  2,200,000 

Telegraph  poles,  manufactured,  pieces .  650,000 

Wooden  ware,  manufactured,  pieces .  11,697,000 

Evergreens,  number .  6,400,000 

Cord-wood,  cords .  70,000 

Tan-bark,  cords .  12,000 

Flour,  barrels .  160,000 

Fish,  barrels .  40,000 

Salt,  barrels .  33,000 

Wheat,  bushels .  340,000 

Oats,  bushels .  160,000 

Hay,  tons .  14,000 

Pig-iron,  tons .  45,000 

Iron  ore,  tons .  630, 0()0 


The  total  value  of  these  exports  is  estimated  at  $65,000,000, 
and  the  value  of  imports,  such  as  mill  supplies  and  merchan¬ 
dise,  is  estimated  at  $24,000,000. 

There  are  over  one  hundred  saw-millfe  in  operation  along 
the  shore  of  Green  Bay,  employing  about  fifteen  thousand 
men,  and  the  capital  invested  is  estimated  at  $100,000,000. 


10 


Estimate  of  cost  of  constructing  a  ship-canal  between  the  head 
of  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  on  the  “  old  ro  ute ,” 
as  located  by  J.  E.  Thompson ,  civil  engineer ,  in  1867. 


Piers  in  Lake  Michigan,  each  1,300  feet  long,  800 
feet  of  pile-pier,  14  feet  wide,  at  $30  per 
linear  foot . 

750  feet  of  crib-pier,  20  feet  wide,  at  $50  per 
linear  foot . 

950  feet  of  crib-pier,  25  feet  wide,  at  $75  per 
linear  foot . 

100  feet  of  crib-pier,  30  feet  wide,  at  $120  per 
linear  foot . 

18,500  linear  feet  pile  revetment,  at  $8  per  linear 
foot . 

6,600  linear  feet  of  line,  cut  and  cleared,  600  feet 
wide,  at  $2 . 

Wet  excavation  in  cut,  420,000  cubic  yards,  at  50 
cents . 

Wet  excavation  in  Lake  Michigan,  40,000  cubic 
yards,  at  50  cents . 

Wet  excavation  in  Sturgeon  Bay,  50,000  cubic 
yards,  at  40  cents . 

Dry  excavation  in  cut,  570,000  cubic  yards,  at  30 
cents . 


$24,000  00 
37,500  00 
71,250  00 
12,000  00 
148,000  00 
13,200  00 
210,000  00 
20,000  00 
20,000  00 
171,000  00 
$726,950  00 


Total  cost 


11 


Estimate  of  the  cost  of  constructing  a  ship-canal  from  the  head 
of  Sturgeon  Bay  to  Lake  Michigan  on  the  “  new  route  ,” 
as  located  by  William  T.  Gas  grain  ^  Assistant  United 
States  Engineer ,  in  1871. 

Piers  on  Lake  Michigan,  each  1,050  feet  long,  800 
feet  of  pile-pier,  14  feet  wide,  at  $30  per 

linear  foot . $24,000  00 

400  feet  crib-pier,  20  feet  wide,  at  $50  per  linear 

foot .  20,000  00 

800  feet  crib-pier,  25  feet  wide,  at  $75  per  linear 

foot .  60,000  00 

100  feet  crib-pier,  30  feet  wide,  at  $120  per  linear 

foot . 12,000  00 

18,000  linear  feet  of  pile  revetment,  at  $8  per 

linear  foot .  144,000  00 

6,400  linear  feet  of  line,  cut  and  cleared,  at  $2.  .  12,800  00 
Wet  excavation  in  cut,  380,000  cubic  yards,  at  50 

cents  per  yard .  190,000  00 

Wet  excavation  in  Lake  Michigan,  35,000  cubic 

yards,  at  50  cents  per  yard .  17,500  00 

Wet  excavation  in  Sturgeon  Bay,  50,000  cubic 

yards,  at  40  cents  per  yard .  20,000  00 

Dry  excavation  in  cut,  430,000  cubic  yards,  at  30 

cents  per  yard .  129,000  00 

Total  cost . $629,300  00 

The  above  pier,  including  engineering,  superintendence, 
and  ten  per  cent,  for  contingencies. 

Cost  of  constructing  ship-canal  on  old  route.  . . .  $726,950  00 

Cost  of  constructing  ship-canal  on  new  route ... .  629,300  00 

Difference  in  favor  of  new  route . $97,650  00 

Respectfully  submitted. 

WM.  T.  CASGRAIN, 
Assistant  United  States  Engineer. 

Maj  or  D.  C.  Houston, 

Corgis  of  Engineers ,  U  S.  A .,  Chicago ,  Illinois. 


12 


Detroit,  Michigan,  October  28,  1871. 

Sir  :  The  following  summary  of  operations  is  respectfully 
submitted,  relating  to  the  survey  and  explorations  of  the 
“  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Ship-Canal,”  to  supply,  as 
far  as  possible,  the  loss  caused  by  the  disastrous  fire  in  Chicago, 
where  it  would  appear  all  the  maps,  notes,  specimens  of  boring, 
etc.,  etc.,  were  lost : 

About  the  26th  of  June,  1871 ,  agreeably  to  your  instruc¬ 
tions,  I  commenced,  with  the  aid  of  two  or  three  men,  to  con¬ 
struct  a  derrick  for  the  use  of  the  boring-rods  made  in  Chicago, 
and  which  we  had  brought  with  us.  The  derrick  was  accordingly 
constructed,  and  was  composed  of  three  pieces  of  pine  scant¬ 
ling  18  feet  long  and  4  inches  square,  with  an  inch  bolt  and 
nut  to  keep  them  together  on  top,  and  two  sets  of  braces,  2  by 
4  inches  scantling,  with  half-inch  bolts  and  nuts.  One  set  was 
screwed  on  the  legs  of  derrick,  18  inches  from  the  ground, 
and  the  other  set  about  10  feet  from  it.  This  was  not  only  to 
strengthen  it,  but  served  the  good  purpose  of  supporting  a 
movable  platform  through  which  the  boring-rod  was  passed, 
keeping  it  perpendicular.  A  windlass  of  white  oak,  8  inches 
in  diameter,  was  fastened  to  the  derrick  with  iron  straps,  ; 
which  could  be  removed  at  pleasure,  and  at  either  end  handles 
1-J-  inches  thick  inserted  crossways.  This  windlass  was  used 
to  draw  up  the  boring-rod  as  occasion  required,  and  was  fur¬ 
nished  with  an  inch  rope  and  a  pair  of  double  blocks. 

I  think  it  was  about  the  3d  of  July  that  we  commenced 
boring  on  the  “  old  cut,”  30  feet  from  the  water’s  edge  of 
Sturgeon  Bay,  and  the  center  of  the  “cut,”  which  is  100  feet 
wide,  in  flat,  swampy  ground,  at  stake  0,  and  penetrated  in  one  ; 
day’s  boring  51  feet,  which  proved  to  be  muck  and  sand,  till, 
reaching  the  51st  foot,  when  on  drawing  up  the  rod,  blue  clay 
was  found  in  the  worm  of  the  auger.  We  then  moved  500 
feet  in  line  to  the  next  station,  borings  being  made  at  every 


13 


500  feet,  when  we  again  sunk  to  40  feet  in  sand  and  fine 


gravel. 


At  station  o,  or  1,000,  to  42  feet  in  sand  and  gravel. 

At  station  4,  or  1,500,  to  40  feet  in  sand  and  gravel. 

At  station  5,  or  2,000,  to  44  feet  in  sand  and  gravel. 

At  station  0,  or  2,500,  to  40  feet  in  sand  and  gravel. 

At  station  7,  or  3,000,  to  42  feet  in  sand  and  gravel. 

At  station  S,  or  3,500,  to  44  feet  in  sand  and  gravel. 

I  0  At  station  9,  or  4,000,  to  40  feet  in  sand  and  gravel. 

At  station  10,  or  4,500,  east  side  of  the  Buffalo  Ridge ;  four 
or  five  borings  were  made  around  this  station  and  from  9  to 
20  feet  only  was  reached.  The  soil  was  sand,  gravel  and  loose 
stones  ;  very  hard  boring. 

I  At  station  11,  42  feet  7  inches  were  reached,  occupying 
!  tln'ee  daJs  excessively  hard  work,  and  a  very  fine  sample  of 
red  clay  w  as  secured  at  that  depth,  the  soil  above  being  coarse 
sand  and  gravel. 

At  station  12,  40  feet  in  two  hours  was  reached  through  fine 

sand. 

t  At  station  13,  15  feet,  after  several  ineffectual  attempts  to 
penetrate  further.  From  that  point  to  the  lake,  from  9  to  20 
•feet  only  were  reached  at  the  remaining  different  stations,  and, 

with  the  exception  of  three  or  four  samples  of  clay,  they  were 
all  of  sand. 

|  In  a  great  measure  the  defect  in  the  joint  of  our  boring-rod 
proved  a  great  obstacle  to  our  penetrating  deeper  on  this  line, 

ind  which  was  afterwards  remedied  on  the  new  one,  as  will  be 
lereafter  explained. 

A  successful  boring  of  15  feet  in  depth  through  sand  was 
nade  about  900  feet  from  the  shore,  in  15  feet  water,  and  in 

me  of  center  of  u  old  cut,”  and  the  sample  washed  out  of  the 
vonn  of  auger  in  drawing  up. 

liie  task  of  getting  the  two  scows  in  order  and  lashed 
ogether,  after  being  sunk  in  the  lake,  requiring  extraordinary 
abor  and  promptness  to  seize  the  favorable  moment,  is  due  to 
I  on>  1  may  safely  say,  alone. 

On  August  10,  moved  to  new  line,  or  route,  with  our  two 


14 


scows  lashed  together,  as  on  former  occasions,  and  onr  derrick 
astraddle.  The  scows  were  firmly  anchored  to  keep  them  in 
position,  and  another  successful  boring  made  14  feet  deep 
through  sand,  in  15  feet  water,  about  700  feet  from  shore,  op¬ 
posite  tri angulation  station  K,  and  in  line  of  center  of  new 
route,  at  that  depth,  stone  and  coarse  gravel  were  struck  and 
the  rod  pulled  up,  not  being  able  to  penetrate  further. 

Second  boring  on  this  route,  about  50  feet  from  water’s 
edge,  and  immediately  below  the  bank  at  station  K,  sunk  16 
feet  and  struck  stone,  or  coarse  gravel,  and  pulled  up. 

Third  boring  at  stake  61,  ran  down  15  feet  and  broke  our 
joints;  soil  coarse  gravel  and  stone.  We  had  been  hitherto 
so  much  troubled  and  put  to  serious  inconvenience  and  ex¬ 
pense  in  consequence  of  this  repeated  mishap,  that  we  now 
concluded  to  do  awav  with  them,  so  we  had  two  rods  of  iron 

c /  ' 

16  feet  long — same  size  of  rods,  1J  inch — welded  together, 
and  one  of  our  old  joints,  with  a  strong  auger,  made  by  the 
village  smith  of  Sturgeon  Bay,  welded  to  it,  which  answered 
admirably,  and  were  not  afterward  troubled  with  so  serious  a 

%j  * 

defect  ;  our  rod  was  now  36  feet  and  4  inches  in  length,  and 
we  had  little  trouble  in  carrying  it,  and  raising  and  letting  it 
fall  bv  the  use  of  the  derrick. 

Fourth  boring,  moved  derrick  between  stakes  47  and  48; 
reached  depth  of  22  feet  in  coarse  sand  and  gravel. 

Fifth  boring,  at  stake  4,000,  wTe  succeeded  in  getting  down 
25  feet;  very  hard  boring;  coarse  sand  and  gravel. 

Sixth  boring,  at  stake  3,000,  penetrated  to  the  depth  of  30 
feet;  easier  boring;  all  sand. 

Seventh  boring,  at  station  2,000,  reached  a  depth  of  33  feet 
in  two  hours  and  twenty  minutes,  easy  boring  and  meeting 
with  no  obstructions ;  all  sand. 

At  stake  1,000,  reached  25  feet  in  two  hours,  and  one  man 
could  have  easily  turned  the  rod,  so  easy  wras  the  labor;  muck 
and  sand. 

I  have  endeavored  to  embrace  the  principal  features  of 
this  interesting  operation  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and  only 


I 


15 

hope  they  may  prove  acceptable  to  the  parties  interested,  and 
have  the  honor  to  remain, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  L.  BABY, 

Having  had  Charge  of  Boring  Party. 

William  T.  Casgrain,  Esq., 

United  States  Engineer ,  Chicago ,  Illinois. 


REPORT  TO  GOVERNOR  OF  WISCONSIN. 

Green  Bay,  Wisconsin,  ) 
September  29,  1873.  \ 

To  his  Excellency, 

C.  C.  Washburn, 

Governor  of  Wisconsin : 

Sir — Pursuant  to  instructions  contained  in  your  letter  of 
September  8th,  1873,  I  have  made  a  careful  examination  of 
the  Sturgeon  Bay  Canal. 

I  find  that  the  amount  of  work  orginally  to  be  done,  as 
calculated  from  surveys  made  under  the  direction  of  the  War 
Department,  was  as  follows  : 

6,400  lineal  feet  of  line  to  be  grubbed  and 
cleared,  600  feet  wide,  which  I  have  esti¬ 
mated  to  be  equal  in  excavation  to .  38,400  Cub.  y’ds 

Excavation  in  Sturgeon  Bay  and  in  Cut. .  . .  860,000  “ 

Fo  Caving  in  of  Banks  I  have  allowed.  .  .  .100,000  “ 

Making  the  total  amount  of  Excavation 

originally  to  be  done . 998,400  u 

The  above  quantities  are  calculated  for  a  canal  with  depth 
of  13  feet,  100  feet  wide  at  the  water  line,  with  slopes  of 
2  base  to  1  perpendicular,  the  water  level  being  taken  at  the 
height  of  low  water  in  1847,  when  it  was  lower  than  for  many 
previous  years  and  since  that  time. 


16 


As  prescribed  in  the  law  of  1868,  the  slope  to  be  given  the 
banks  was  1J  base  to  one  perpendicular,  but  it  was  thought 
best  to  change  the  inclination  to  2  to  1  to  prevent  sliding  if 
possible.  The  amounts  of  excavation  is  not  materially  affected 
by  this  change. 

The  following  is  the  work  thus  far  accomplished : 

6,400  lineal  feet  of  line  grubbed  and  par¬ 
tially  cleared,  400  feet  wide,  which  I  have 
estimated  to  be  equal  in  excavation  to. .  .  .  15,000  Cub.  y’ds 
Amount  thrown  out  by  dredges . .141,000  “ 

“  Dry  Excavation  .  99,000  “ 

Making  a  total  of . 255,000  u 

Leaving  5,400  cubic  }Tards  over  one-quarter  of  the  entire 
work. 

The  character  of  the  material  to  be  taken  out  is  the  same 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  and  depth  of  the  canal. 

An  extensive  system  of  deep  boring  has  shown  it  to  be 
sand  extending  to  a  depth  of  at  least  15  feet  below  the  pres¬ 
ent  water-line.  The  latter  statement  shows  therefore,  within 
very  small  limits,  the  proportion  of  the  total  work  accom¬ 
plished. 

The  amount  of  excavation  necessary  to  complete  the  Canal, 
with  the  dimensions  prescribed  by  law  (with  the  exception  of 
the  inclination  given  the  banks),  would  be'  743,400  cubic  yards. 

L  would  therefore  report,  that  at  least  one-quarter  of  the 
entire  work  has  been  done. 

\ 

The  work  thus  far  has  been,  in  my  judgment,  performed 
in  a  satisfactory  manner.  The  material  dredged  from  below 
the  water  line  has  been  removed  by  scows,  a  lon^  distance  from 
the  line  of  the  canal,  and  deposited  where  it  will  not  be  liable 
to  interfere  with  navigation  in  the  future. 

The  material  excavated  above  water  has  been  thrown  twenty 
feet  back  from  the  top  of  the  cut  on  either  side,  so  that  in 
case  of  sliding,  or  washing  in,  of  a  portion  of  the  banks  from 
heavy  rains,  the  excavated  material  would  not  be  carried  back 
into  the  Canal,  requiring  it  to  be  removed  again.  The  results 


so  far  sli  >w  that  of  the  two  miles  of  Canal  to  be  made,  one 
mile  at  the  western  terminus  (mainly  from  the  point  in  Stur¬ 
geon  Bay,  where  the  work  first  commenced,  to  the  shore  line 
of  the  Bay)  has  been  so  far  completed  as  to  afford  a  depth  of 
eleven  feet  of  water. 

From  the  shore  line  inland,  for  a  distance  of  nine  hundred 
feet,  by  wet  or  dry  excavation,  a  channel  has  been  made,  af¬ 
fording  a  depth  of  nine  feet. 

With  a  tug  drawing  seven  to  eight  feet,  we  ran  up  to,  and 
landed  on  the  dredge,  now  at  work  at  the  head  of  the  cut. 

At  different  points  across  the  peninsula,  large  amounts  of 
material  have  been  taken  out  and  deposited,  as  mentioned 
above. 

One  cut,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  feet  long,  about  mid¬ 
way  between  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan,  and  extend¬ 
ing  through  Buffalo  Ridge,  the  highest  point  on  the  line,  has 
been  made  with  a  width  at  top  sufficient  to  give  the  prescribed 
width  of  one  hundred  feet,  at  the  water  line. 

At  several  places  along  the  line,  the  banks  have  given  way 
somewhat,  from  the  action  of  rains,  even  at  the  present  slope, 
proving  the  good  policy  of  the  departure  from  the  first  pres¬ 
cribed  plan,  which  would  have  made  them  more  precipitous 
and  thus  increased  the  tendency  to  slide. 

In  my  estimate  I  have  not  taken  into  consideration  the  ex¬ 
cavation  to  be  made  in  Lake  Michigan,  at  the  Eastern  end  of 
the  Canal. 

The  general  government  has  authorized,  and  is  now  con¬ 
structing  a  harbor  at  this  point,  under  the  direction  of  the  Sec¬ 
retary  of  War,  which  when  completed  will  furnish  the  neces¬ 
sary  outlet  into  Lake  Michigan. 

Capt.  Win.  T.  Casgrain,  an  accomplished  engineer,  has 
charge  of  this  work  as  well  as  that  of  the  Canal  Company. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Very  Respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

LEONARD  MARTIN, 
Assistant  CL.  S.  Engineer. 


18 


APPROVAL  OF  GOVERNOR  OF  WISCONSIN. 

State  of  Wisconsin,  Executive 
Department.  Madison,  -  ) 

I,  C.  C.  Washburn,  Governor  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin, 
do  hereby  certify  that,  by  the  report  of  the  agent  appointed 
by  me  to  inspect  the  work  done  on  the  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake 
Michigan  Ship  Canal,  a  copy  of  which  report  is  hereto  attached, 
it  appears  that  one-fourth  of  said  work  has  been  completed  in 
accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the  acts  of  Congress  ap¬ 
proved  April  10,  I860,  and  of  the  acts  of  the  Legislature  of 
Wisconsin  relating  thereto.  And  I  further  certify  that  I 
approve  of  the  work  done,  and  that  in  consideration  thereof, 
the  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Ship  Canal  and  Harbor 
Company  is  entitled  to  one-fourth  of  the  lands  granted  by 
Congress  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  the  said  Sturgeon  Bay 
and  Lake  Michigan  Ship  Canal. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  sub¬ 
scribed  my  name,  and  caused  the  great 
seal  of  the  State  to  be  affixed,  this  7th 
day  of  October,  A.  D.  1873. 

By  the  Governor.  C.  C.  Washburn. 

John  S.  Dean, 

Assistant  Secretary  of  State. 


Great  Seal  of  the 
State  of  Wisconsin 


REPORT  OF  SELECT  COMMITTEE  OF  WISCONSIN  LEGISLATURE 
ON  STURGEON  BAY  SHIP  CANAL,  MADE  FEBRUARY  10,  1874. 

The  select  committee  to  which  was  referred  the  communi¬ 
cation  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  with  accompanying  papers, 
relative  to  the  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Canal,  re¬ 
spectfully  report : 

The  project  of  connecting  Sturgeon  Bay  with  Lake  Michigan 
by  the  construction  of  a  ship  canal  seems  to  have  been  agitated 


19 


for  the  past  twenty  years.  As  the  country  on  the  borders  of 
Green  Bay  (of  which  Sturgeon  Bay  is  a  mere  harbor)  has  been 
developed,  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  necessity  of  this 
work,  as  by  its  construction  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of  the 
outlet  of  Green  Bay  would  be  avoided,  and  a  saving  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  navigation  saved  in  the  transit  of  ves¬ 
sels  from  the  ports  of  the  Bay  to  that  of  Lake  Michigan. 

As  early  as  1856,  a  company  was  incorporated  by  the 
Legislature,  with  authority  to  construct  this  canal,  which  did 
no  more  than  organize,  make  an  examination  of  the  route,  and 
subsequently  forfeit  its  charter  by  failure  to  comply  with  its 
requirements.  But  the  enterprise  was  not  destined  to  fail  with 
this  feeble  effort  of  a  few  individuals,  who  perhaps  entered 
into  it  as  a  mere  speculative,  pecuniary  venture.  In  1864,  a 
new  charter  was  granted  and  a  company  organized  under  it, 
comprising  several  gentlemen  of  wealtli  and  character,  who 
were  largely  interested  in  the  lumbering  establishments  of 
that  part  of  the  State.  After  a  thorough  examination  and  sur¬ 
vey  of  the  route,  to  ascertain  the  feasibility  of  the  project,  a 
grant  of  land  was  procured  from  Congress  to  aid  in  construct¬ 
ing  the  improvement  as  one  of  national  importance. 

It  thus  appears  that  the  successful  accomplishment  of  tin* 
enterprise  was  fully  inaugurated.  Men  of  character  and 
means  were  enlisted  in  the  company  and  pledged  to  its  suc¬ 
cess.  If  this  did  not  furnish  a  sufficient  guarantee  of  good  faith 
in  the  undertaking  on  their  part,  it  may  be  further  stated  that 
they,  as  owners  of  a  large  portion  of  the  fine  forests  on  the 
western  shore  of  Green  Bay,  will  be  directly  benefited  by  the 
completion  of  the  work  by  the  increased  facilities  it  will  afford 
in  reaching  the  markets  of  Lake  Michigan. 

The  grants  of  lands  from  the  general  government  of  200,000 
acres  is  made  in  terms  to  the  State,  and  the  State  is  charged 
with  the  responsibility  of  providing  that  the  proceeds  of  the 
grants  are  properly  and  faithfully  applied.  In  performance 
of  this  duty  an  act  was  passed  in  1873,  declaring,  in  substance, 
that  whenever  one-fourth  of  the  canal  was  constructed,  the 
company  was  entitled  to  select  and  receive  title  to  one-fourth 


20 


•of  the  lands.  Upon  an  examination  by  a  competent  engineer, 
under  direction  of  the  Governor,  made  in  September  last,  it 
appeared  that  the  requisite  work  was  done  to,  entitle  the  com¬ 
pany  to  select  a  quantity  equal  to  one-quarter  part  of  the 
whole  grant. 

Whether  the  management  of  the  company  has  been  in  ac¬ 
cordance  with  the  law  creating  it  and  making  the  endowments 
above  referred  to,  seems  to  be  the  main  question  submitted  to 
the  committee.  To  determine  it,  a  full  examination  of  the 
accounts  and  vouchers  was  made,  showing  the  receipts  and 
expenditures  for  all  purposes  since  the  formation  of  the  com¬ 
pany.  The  committee  were  fully  satisfied  that  all  the  funds 
heretofore  received  and  disbursed  have  been  judiciously  and 
economically  expended  and  the  largest  possible  amount  of 


work  done  with  the  means  supplied. 

The  receipts  and  disbursements  may  be  summarized  as 
follows  : 

Received  by  contributions  of  stockholders .  $71,171  11 

Received  from  trespasses  on  lands .  35,531  01 

Total . $106,702  12 

Expended  by  paid  contractors  for  work  done,  en¬ 
gineering,  office  rent,  etc . $96,251  46 

Incidentals,  selecting  and  examining  lands,  look¬ 
ing  after  trespasses,  etc .  10,450  66 

Total . $106,702  12 


The  foregoing  exhibit  covers  the  whole  period  since  the 
formation  of  the  company,  and  therefore  embraces  items  of 
expense  incurred  in  organization,  procuring  land  grants,  etc., 
which  do  not  belong  to  the  current  liabilities,  on  account  of 
the  improvement  itself,  and  yet  the  percentage  of  money  ac¬ 
tually  expended  on  the  work  is  more  than  the  usual  propor¬ 
tion  in  undertakings  of  this  character.  In  connection  with 
the  facts  of  the  well-known  character  for  responsibility  and 
integrity  of  the  gentlemen  who  compose  the  company,  itshows 


21 


conclusively,  the  committee  believe,  an  intention  on  their  part 
that  all  the  funds  necessary  for  the  early  completion  of  the 
work  will  be  supplied,  and  that  the  means  placed  at  their  dis¬ 
posal,  whether  received  from  lands  or  otherwise,  will  be  hon- 
'  estly  and  faithfully  devoted  to  this  object. 

The  committee  are  of  opinion  that  the  company  has  main¬ 
tained  the  utmost  good  faith  in  their  operations,  that  they  are 
justly  entitled  to  the  proportion  of  the  land  corresponding 
with  the  amount  of  work  done,  as  certified  by  the  Governor, 
and  to  the  confidence  and  co-operation  of  the  State  authorities 
in  the  prosecution  of  their  enterprise.  The  work  itself  will 
add  greatlv  to  the  commercial  facilities  of  that  region.  Dur- 
ing  the  past  year,  more  than  eight  hundred  thousand  tons  were 
transported  to  and  from  the  ports  in  Green  Bay  south  of  the 
Menomonee  river.  That  amount  is  increasing  annually,  but 
the  saving  each  year  on  that  amount,  if  vessels  could  pass 
through  the  canal  instead  of  the  circuitous  and  dangerous 
route  now  in  use,. would  pay  a  fair  percentage  on  twice  the 
cost  of  this  work. 

In  view,  therefore,  of  the  importance  of  this  enterprise  to 
the  commerce  of  the  lakes,  of  the  good  faith  exhibited  in  its 
prosecution,  and  the  well-known  character  of  the  gentlemen 
engaged  in  it,  the  committee  believe  that  the  completion  of 
the  canal  will  be  best  secured  by  the  exhibition  of  full  confi¬ 
dence  in  its  present  management  on  the  part  of  the  public 
authorities  of  the  State. 

The  acknowledgments  of  the  committee  are  due  to  Gen. 
Strong,  treasurer,  and  Capt.  Casgrain,  engineer,  for  a  full  ex¬ 
pose  in  minute  detail  of  the  affairs  of  the  company,  which  they 
deem  unnecessary  to  embody  in  this  report. 

.Respectfully  submitted, 

D.  A.  REED, 

M.  L.  MARTIN, 

H.  M.  ROYCE. 


22 


FROM  THE  REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  TO  CONGRESS. 

See  Ex.  Doc.  1,  Part  2,  43d  Congress,  1st  Session. 

4.  Harbor  of  refuge  at  the  entrance  of  the  Sturgeon  Bay 
Canal. — The  appropriation  of  $40,000  made  at  the  last  session 
of  Congress  is  being  expended  in  the  construction  of  two  piers 
in  accordance  with  the  general  plan  indicated  in  the  annual 
report  from  this  office  for  1872,  page  171.  It  is  expected  that 
not  less  than  six  hundred  feet  of  each  pier  will  be  completed 
the  present  season,  exhausting  the  appropriation. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  additional  sum  of  $120,000  is  re¬ 
quired  to  complete  these  piers  and  excavate  the  channel  be¬ 
tween  them. 

Amount  appropriated  by  act  of  March  3,  1873. .  .  $40,000  00 
Amount  expended  during  the  fiscal  year  ending 


June  30,  1873 .  64  00 

Amount  available  July  1,  1873  .  39,936  00 

Amount  required  for  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 

1875  .  60,000  00 

(See  Appendix  B  4.) 


Appendix  B  4. 

HARBOR  OF  REFUGE  AT  THE  ENTRANCE  OF  THE  STURGEON  BAY 

CANAL. 

By  the  act  of  Congress  approved  March  3,  1873,  an  appro¬ 
priation  of  $40,000  was  made  for  this  work. 

In  1872  the  canal  company  commenced  work  on  the  canal 
according  to  the  plan  indicated  in  my  report.  (See  page  171, 
Report  of  Chief  of  Engineers  of  1872.)  Considerable  pro¬ 
gress  has  been  made,  principally  in  dry  cutting — the  summit 
being  cut  down  from  twenty-eight  feet  above  the  lake  to  thir¬ 
teen  feet,  which  is  now  the  highest  point  on  the  line  of  the 
canai. 


23 


liy  the  close  of  the  season  it  is  anticipated  that  still  greater 
progress  will  be  made. 

The  appropriation  of  $40,000  is  being  applied  to  the  con¬ 
struction  of  two  piers  to  protect  the  entrance  to  the  canal  on 
Lake  Michigan,  according  to  the  general  plan  indicated  in  the 
report  above  referred  to.  The  piers  commence  at  the  shore, 
each  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  from  the  axis  of  the 
canal,  and  extend  into  the  lake  a  distance  of  about  one  thou¬ 
sand  two  hundred  feet,  to  a  depth  of  eighteen  feet  of  water, 
and  are  so  located  that  the  extremities  of  the  piers  will  be 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  apart. 

It  is  estimated  that  not  less  than  six  hundred  feet  of  each 
pier  will  be  completed  this  season,  perhaps  more  ;  the  plan  of 
pile  pier  being  used  for  the  inner  portion  of  work  on  account 
of  economy  and  because  it  is  well  adapted  to  the  locality. — 
The  remainder  of  the  piers  it  is  proposed  to  build  of  cribs 
filled  with  stone,  provided  that  the  canal  is  sufficiently  ad¬ 
vanced  to  provide  room  for  their  construction. 

To  complete  these  piers,  and  make  the  required  channel 
between  them,  will  require  the  sum  of  $120,000. 

The  sum  of  $60,000  could  be  advantageously  expended 
during  the  next  fiscal  year. 

Amount  appropriated  by  act  of  March  3,  1873.  .  .$40,000  00 


Amount  expended  during  the  fiscal  year  ending 

June  30,  1873 . . . .  64  00 

Amount  available  July  1,  1873 .  39,936  00 

Amount  required  for  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 

1875 .  60,000-00 


24 


LETTER  FROM  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR,  * 

Transmitting  a  report,  in  answer  to  a  resolution  of  the  House,  of  December 
18,  1878,  showing  progress  of  work  on  harbor  of  refuge  at  mouth  of 
Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Ship  Canal  at  close  of  navigation 
1873. 

February  4,  1874. — Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Commerce  and  ordered 

to  be  printed. 

The  Secretary  of  War  has  the  honor  to  transmit  to  the 
House  of  Representatives,  in  compliance  with  House  resolu¬ 
tion  of  December  18,  1873,  a  letter  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers 
^  of  the  27th  instant,  enclosing  a  report  and  sketch  from  Major 
D.  C.  Houston,  Corps  of  Engineers,  showing  progress  of  work 
on  harbor  of  refuge  at  month  of  Sturgeon  Ray  and  Lake 
Mi  chi  gan  Ship  Canal  at  the  close  of  navigation,  IS  to. 

WM.  W.  BELKNAP, 

Secretary  of  War. 

War  Department,  January  29,  1874. 


Office  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers, 
Washington,  D.  C.,  January,  1874. 

Sir — 1  have  to  acknowledge  the  reference  to  this  office  for 
report  of  the  following  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representa¬ 
tives  of  December  18,  1873,  viz. :  u  The  Secretary  of  War  be 
and  he  is  hereby  instructed  to  furnish  to  this  House,  at  as 
early  a  day  as  practicable,  a  report  of  the  progress  and  con¬ 
dition  of  the  work  on  the  harbor  of  refuge  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Ship  Canal,  Wisconsin, 
at  the  close  of  navigation,  1873 and  beg  leave  to  submit 
herewith  a  copy  of  a  report  from  Major  D.  C.  Houston,  Corps 
of  Engineers  (with  enclosures),  which  it  is  believed  will 
furnish  the  desired  information. 

The  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representatives  is  herewith 
respectfully  returned. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  A.  HUMPHREYS, 

Brigadier- General  and  Chief  of  Engineers. 

Hon.  W.  W.  Belknap, 

Secretary  of  War. 


25 


Jacksonville,  Fla.,  January  14,  1874. 

General — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  enclosed  report 
of  Captain  J.  W.  Cuyler,  Corps  of  Engineers,  showing  the 
progress  and  condition  of  the  work  on  the  harbor  of  refuge  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Sturgeon  Bay  Ship-Canal,  Wisconsin,  called 
for  by  resolution  of  the  House  of  Bepresentatives,  Forty-third 
Congress,  first  session,  dated  December,  18,  1873. 

1  enclose  also  a  tracing,  showing  plan  of  the  work,  which, 

with  the  above-mentioned  reports,  will  furnish  the  information 
called  for. 

I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  C.  HOUSTON, 

Major  Engineers. 

Brig.  Gen.  A.  A.  Humphreys, 

Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A Washington ,  I).  C. 


Morristown,  N.  J.,  January  3,  1874. 

Sir — I  have  the  honor  to  make  report  as  follows,  relative 
to  “  harbor  of  refuge,”  Sturgeon  Bay  Canal,  Wisconsin,  as 
required  by  your  letter  to  me  of  December  27  ultimo : 

At  the  close  of  navigation  of  1873,  both  “  pile-piers,”  de¬ 
signed  in  the  approved  jorojet  for  this  harbor,  the  one  on  the 
north  and  the  other  on  the  south  side  of  the  mouth  of  the 
canal,  had  been  piled  and  built  out  for  a  total  length  (to  each 
pier)  of  762  feet  from  their  starting  points,  just  inside  the 
original  shore-line,  making  a  total  of  1,524  feet  of  pier-work 
constructed  at  this  harbor  during  the  season  of  1873.  The 
inner  150  feet  of  each  of  these  piers  consist  of  the  so-called 
“  slab-pier”  construction,  a  species  of  work  less  elaborate  and 
expensive  than  the  regular  “  pile-pier,”  as  shown  in  the  ap¬ 
proved  drawings,  but  here  answering  for  the  in-shore  ends  of 
the  piers,  where  the  water  is  shoal.  This  “  slab-pier  ”  work 
ends  in  each  pier  at  6-foot  water-line,  and  the  balance  of  each 
pier,  the  outer  512  feet,  is  of  the  regular  “  pile-pier”  construe- 


26 


tion,  14  feet  in  width,  which  is  also  width  of  “slab-pier”  con¬ 
struction.  The  outer  ends  of  both  piers  terminate  at  the 
15-foot  curve.  Of  all  this  pier-work,  the  two  “slab-piers” 
have  been  completed ;  the  two  “  pile-piers  ”  have  been  com¬ 
pleted  as  to  the  piling,  the  superstructure,  the  brush-filling  in 
them,  and  two-thirds  of  their  stone-filling  in  the  north  pier 
and  one-third  of  same  in  south  pier.  There  but  remains,  to 
make  a  completion  of  this  whole  work  for  season  of  1873,  in 
accordance  with  the  original  designs,  to  complete  this  stone¬ 
filling  in  these  two  piers,  about  100  cords  of  stone  being 
required  to  be  put  into  north  pier  and  200  cords  into  south,  a 
total  of  300  cords  of  stone-filling,  equal  to  about  $3,000  worth 
of  work. 

I  have  the  honor,  sir,  to  remain,  very  respectfully,  your 
obedient  servant, 

JAS.  W.  CUTLER, 
Capt.  Engineers,  U.  S.  A. 

Maj.  D.  C.  Houston, 

U.  8.  Corps  Engineers . 


GREEN  BAY  AND  STURGEON  BAY  AND  LAKE  MICHIGAN 

SHIP-CANAL. 

January  23,  1874. 

Mr.  Bradley,  from  the  Committee  on  the  Public  Lands 
submitted  the  following 

REPORT : 

The  Committee  on  the  Public  Lands,  to  whom  was  referred 
the  bill  (IT.  R.  447)  to  extend  the  time  for  the  completion  of 
the  Green  Bay  and  Sturgeon  Bay  and  Lake  Michigan  Ship- 
Canal,  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  beg  leave  to  report : 

That  they  have  had  the  same  under  consideration,  and  find 
that  it  relates  to  a  grant  of  two  hundred  thousand  acres  of 
land,  made  by  Congress,  under  date  of  April  10,  1866,  to  the 
State  of  Wisconsin,  to  aid  in  constructing  said  canal,  and  a 


27 


breakwater  and  harbor  at  the  month  of  said  canal,  in  Lake 
Michigan. 

The  lands  were,  by  the  terms  of  the  grant,  to  be  selected 
from  the  odd-numbered  sections  nearest  to  the  canal  and  break¬ 
water,  applicable  for  this  purpose,  and  to  be  disposed  of  by 
the  State  authorities  ;  but,  before  they  were  to  be  disposed  of 
the  plans  of  said  breakwater  and  harbor,  and  the  route  of  the 
canal,  should  be  established,  and  a  plan  thereof  should  be  tiled 
in  the  War  Department,  and  a  duplicate  of  the  same  tiled  in  the 
office  of  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land-Office.  Also, 
that  there  should  be  kept  an  accurate  account  of  the  sales  and 
net  proceeds  of  the  lands,  and  of  all  expenditures  in  the  con¬ 
struction,  repairs,  and  operating  of  said  canal,  and  of  the 
earnings  thereof,  and  should  return  a  statement  of  the  same 
annually  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  All  of  these  condi¬ 
tions,  your  committee  find,  have  been  complied  with  except 
completing  the  work  in  the  time  limited  therefor.  That,  be¬ 
ing  three  years  from  the  passage  of  the  act,  expired  on  the 
10th  day  of  April,  1869.  .  Congress,  however,  by  act  approved 
March  1,  1872,  extended  tile  time  for  its  completion  to  April 
10,  1874.  This  bill  now  asks  for  a  farther  extension  of  the 
time  to  April  10,  1876. 

In  examining  into  the  case  in  order  to  determine  as  to  its 
merits,  the  committee  find  that  the  location  of  said  canal  and 
plan  for  its  construction  have  been  made  by  Government  en 
gineers,  a  report  of  which  we  find  under  date  of  November  29, 
1871,  addressed  to  Brig.  Gen.  A.  A.  Humphreys,  Chief  of 
Engineers,  at  W ashington,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  cost 
of  the  work  was  estimated  to  be  $629,300.  In  this  report  we 
find  an  estimate  of  the  commerce,  from  which  it  appears  tli  at 
the  value  of  the  products  that  would  pass  through  tin's  canal, 
when  completed,  would  be  $65,000,000,  while  the  imports  are 
estimated  at  $24,000,000,  which  must  show  a  very  large  annual 
increase  from  year  to  year.  The  construction  of  this  canal  will 
save  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  ninety  miles  in  transport¬ 
ing  all  the  products  of  that  portion  of  the  Northwest  which  are 
tributary  to  Green  Bay  that  would  seek  a  market  at  Milwau- 


28 


kee  and  Chicago  by  water  communication,  which  your  com¬ 
mittee  would  deem  a  very  important  item  in  the  interest  of 
cheap  transportation,  a  question  which  is,  at  this  time,  upper¬ 
most  in  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the  country. 

Your  committee  find  in  the  report  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
for  1873,  on  page  198,  that  there  was  appropriated  by  the  last 
Congress  $40,000  for  the  construction  of  a  harbor  of  refuge 
m  Lake  Michigan,  at  the  entrance  of  this  canal,  and  that  nearly 
all  of  said  appropriation  has  been  expended  during  the  past 
year. 

From  the  report  of  the  assistant  LTnited  States  Engineer 
in  charge  of  the  work  on  the  canal,  under  date  of  September 
29,  1873,  we  find  that  he  estimates  the  work  of  constructing 
the  canal  at  least  one  quarter  done.  In  view  of  all  these  facts* 
and  that  Congress  in  the  act  making  the  appropriation  of 
lands  reserved  to  the  Government  the  right  of  use  of  said  canal 
for  all  of  its  vessels,  or  of  any  others  employed,  free  from  toll ; 
and  to  the  public  that  it  should  be  and  remain  a  public  high- 
wav,  and  that  after  the  said  State  of  Wisconsin  had  been  fully 
reimbursed  for  the  cost  of  its  construction  from  proceeds  of 
the  lands  donated,  and  from  tolls  collected,  or  upon  the  pay¬ 
ment  of  any  balance  by  the  United  States  over  and  above  the 
receipts  from  sale  of  lands  and  tolls  collected,  then  it  should 
be  allowed  to  tax,  for  the  use  of  said  canal,  only  such  tolls  as 
shall  be  sufficient  to  pay  all  necessary  expenses  for  the  care, 
charge,  and  repair  of  the  same.  Your  committee  would  re¬ 
spectfully  recommend  that  the  bill  do  pass. 


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